Why we LOVE Lanka Kade

Lanka Kade our one of our favourite toy suppliers, they have been with Babi Pur since we opened our virtual doors in 2007. Beautiful fair trade toys made by skilled artisans from sustainable wood. It’s a simple formula that yields wonderful results.

Traditional wooden toys that stimulate imaginations, learning through play and good old fashioned fun. We love the brightly coloured jigsaws and toys, each one is hand painted which adds to the character and uniqueness.

Fair trade principles run through the heart of the company. Lanka Kade work with small scale producers in Sri Lanka providing them with skills, training and financial support so that they can run their own businesses independently. These principles are what fair trade is all about, it’s not about charity, it’s about good quality continual employment with fair wages and good working conditions so that people are able to provide for themselves and their families without being exploited.

Lanka Kade work directly with each producer providing a full and fair price for their products. Lots of the toys are hand painted to an incredible standard, Ramani can be seen here painting skipping rope handles. Highly skilled at their craft, the toys are designed in the UK for each producer to utilise and develop their individual knowledge and skills and so ensuring that local skills are respected and secured.

Lanka Kade aim to provide continual employment throughout the year with prompt payments for goods supplied. They also offer producers long term, interest free loans to enable producers to expand and develop their businesses. Producers are expected to provide good rates of pay, equal opportunities, pleasant and safe working conditions and have an understanding of fair trade practices.

So what about the toys? Well here’s a few of our favourites.

Large Rainbow Noah’s Ark as painted by Kusuma in the picture above. This is a big ark painted in lovely colours. The animals go in two by two and the ark keeps them safe from the impending flood. £59.99

1-10 Dinosaur jigsaw, brilliant bright coloured pieces, put them together in the right order to make this friendly dinosaur £10.99. There are loads of Lanka Kade jigsaws to suit a range of ages, all in fantastically bright colours some with numbers and some with the alphabet.

Castle building blocks, these have only just come in and we love them! Build your own castle! Any shape, any height, lots of fun to be had with these and you can add them to any other blocks you might have to build even bigger structures £25.99